Multi-Point Fit For Patient Specific Guide

ABSTRACT

A bone preparation system including a guide body and a plurality of bone locators. The guide body is configured to mate with a patient-specific module having a patient-specific module surface customized based on image data of a specific patient to correspond to the patient&#39;s specific bone geometry. The plurality of bone locators are coupled to the guide body and positioned by the patient-specific module surface to define a patient-specific bone engaging surface of the guide corresponding to the patient&#39;s specific bone geometry.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/777,555 filed on Mar. 12, 2013. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a patient-specific bone preparation guide with a multi-point fit.

BACKGROUND

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.

Patient-specific bone preparation guides often use MRI, CT, x-ray, ultra-sound, or other image data to create a three-dimensional model of a patient's bone. From the model, a pre-operative plan can be made and modified by a surgeon. The pre-operative plan includes a series of points, axes, and planes defined by specific-patient geometry. After the surgeon approves the pre-operative plan, the patient-specific guide is made based on the plan to fit the patient's bone. Because the guide is specific to the anatomy of only one patient, it is typically discarded after surgery. To conserve costs and materials, a bone preparation guide that can be customized for multiple patients, and thus be reused for multiple surgeries, would be desirable.

SUMMARY

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

The present teachings provide for a bone preparation system including a guide body and a plurality of bone locators. The guide body is configured to mate with a patient-specific module having a patient-specific module surface customized based on image data of a specific patient to correspond to the patient's own specific bone geometry. The plurality of bone locators are coupled to the guide body and positioned by the patient-specific module surface to define a patient-specific bone engaging surface of the guide corresponding to the patient's own specific bone geometry.

The present teachings further provide for a system for preparing a specific patient's bone with a bone preparation guide. The system includes a guide body and a patient-specific insert. The guide body includes a plurality of bone locators movable into and out of the guide body. The patient-specific insert is configured to be received by the guide body, and includes a patient-specific insert surface customized based on image data of a specific patient to correspond to the patient's own specific bone geometry. Cooperation between the patient-specific insert and the guide body positions the bone locators to define a patient-specific bone engaging surface at distal tips of the plurality of bone locators. The patient-specific bone engaging surface corresponds to the patient's own specific bone geometry.

The present teachings also provide for a method of customizing a bone preparation guide to correspond to a specific bone geometry of each one of a plurality of different patients. The method includes: analyzing a first patient's own specific bone geometry; developing a first pre-operative plan based on the first patient's own specific bone geometry, a first patient-specific surface of a first patient-specific guide insert is designed based on the first pre-operative plan; coupling the first patient-specific guide insert to a guide body, the guide body including a plurality of bone locators connected thereto that are configured to be positioned by the first patient-specific surface of the guide insert to define a first patient-specific bone engaging surface of the guide corresponding to the first patient's own specific bone geometry; positioning the guide body against the first patient's bone at a predetermined location corresponding to the first patient-specific bone engaging surface defined by the plurality of bone locators as positioned by the first guide insert; and guiding at least one of a first cutting instrument or a first guide to the first patient's bone using the guide.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bone preparation guide according to the present teachings;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a patient-specific insert according to the present teachings for the bone preparation guide;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another bone preparation guide and another patient-specific insert according to the present teachings coupled thereto;

FIG. 4 illustrates the bone preparation guide of FIG. 1 with the patient-specific insert coupled thereto positioned at a distal end of a femur; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the bone preparation guide of FIG. 1 with the patient-specific insert of FIG. 2 coupled thereto, the bone preparation guide seated on the distal end of the femur.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present teachings generally provide patient-specific guides for use in orthopedic surgery, such as, for example, in joint replacement or revision surgery. The patient-specific guides and associated instruments may be used either with conventional or with patient-specific implant components prepared with computer-assisted imaging methods based on medical scan of the specific patient.

As described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,465, issued Jan. 1, 2012, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0226283, filed Feb. 21, 2012, both of which are incorporated by reference herein, during a preoperative planning stage, imaging data of the relevant anatomy of a patient may be obtained at a facility, including a doctor's office. The imaging data may include, for example, a detailed scan of a pelvis, hip, knee, ankle or other joint or relevant portion of the patient's anatomy. The imaging data may be obtained using an MRI, CT, and X-Ray, ultrasound or any other imaging systems. The imaging data obtained may be used to construct a multi-dimensional (such as three-dimensional) computer image of the joint or other portion of the anatomy of the patient and prepare an initial preoperative plan that may include bone or joint preparation, such as planning for resections, milling, reaming, broaching, as well as implant selection and fitting, design of patient-specific guides, templates, tools and alignment protocols for the surgical procedure. Additionally, physical modes of the patient's joint and associated bones may be prepared for visualization and trialing of the guides and implants prior to the surgical procedure.

Computer modeling for obtaining three-dimensional computer images of the relevant patient's anatomy may be provided by various computer aided drafting (CAD) programs, applications and/or software commercially available from various vendors or developers, such as, for example, from Object Research Systems or ORS, Montreal, Canada. The computer modeling program or other application may be configured and used to plan a preoperative surgical plan, including planning various bone preparation procedures, to select or design/modify implants and design patient-specific guides and tools. The patient-specific guides and tools may include patient-specific prosthesis components, and patient-specific tools, including reaming, broaching, milling, drilling or cutting tools, alignment guides, templates and other patient-specific instruments.

The preoperative plan may be stored in any computer storage medium, in a computer file form or any other computer or digital representation, including three-dimensional graphical files or digital data sets. The preoperative plan, in a digital form associated with interactive software or other application, may be made available via a hard medium, a web-based or mobile or cloud service, or a portable device that may have access to a cellular network. The plan may be provided via the various systems or media to the surgeon or other medical practitioner, for review. Using the interactive software or application, the surgeon may review the plan, and manipulate the position of images of various implant components relative to an image of the anatomy. The surgeon may modify the plan and send it to the manufacturer with recommendations or changes. The interactive review process may be repeated until a final, approved plan, is sent to a manufacturing facility for preparing actual physical components. In various embodiments, physical and digital patient-specific bone models, guides, and instruments may be provided preoperatively to the surgeon for trialing and marking.

After the surgical plan is approved by the surgeon, patient-specific implants and associated tools, including, for example, alignment guides, cutting/milling/reaming/broaching or other tools for the surgical preparation of the joint or other anatomy portion of the specific patient may be designed using a CAD program or other three-dimensional modeling software, such as the software provided by Object Research Systems or ORS, Montreal, Canada, for example, according to the preoperative surgical plan. Patient-specific guides and other instruments may be manufactured by various stereolithography methods, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, or other rapid prototyping methods, and/or computer controlled machining. In some embodiments, computer instructions of tool paths for machining the patient-specific guides and/or implants may be generated and stored in a tool path data file. The tool path data may be provided as input to a CNC mill or other automated machining system, and the tools and implants may be machined from polymer, ceramic, metal or other suitable material depending on the use, and sterilized. The sterilized tools and implants may be shipped to the surgeon or medical facility for use during the surgical procedure.

Patient-specific implants, guides, templates, tools or portions thereof are defined herein as those constructed by a preoperative plan for a specific patient from three-dimensional images of the specific patient's anatomy reconstructed from preoperative image scans of the patient. The patient-specific components are constructed to closely conform and mate or match substantially to a surface of the patient's anatomy. The mating or matching is generally as a negative mold, negative surface, or inverse or mirror surface of corresponding surface portions of the patient's anatomy. The anatomical surfaces may include bone surfaces with or without associated soft tissue, such as articular cartilage, depending on the particular procedure, implant and tool use. Minute irregularities, such as those that would not affect placement of the guide, of the patient's joint surfaces need not be mirrored.

As discussed above, patient-specific alignment guides and implants are generally configured to match the anatomy of a specific patient and fit/register to the patient in only one position on a corresponding surface of the specific patient because anatomic features that are unique to each patient may function as landmarks and may guide placement of the alignment guide or implant in only one position without the need of intraoperative image navigation, patient marking, or other intraoperative guidance. The patient-specific alignment guides are generally configured and manufactured using computer modeling based on the 3-D anatomic image of the patient and have an engagement surface that is made to conformingly contact and match, as discussed above, to a corresponding surface of a three-dimensional image/model of the patient's bone surface (with or without cartilage or other soft tissue), by the computer methods discussed above.

Generally, the patient specific guide has an exterior surface that contacts about 80% of the patient's anatomy when properly positioned, including about 90%, and about 98%. The exterior surface of the patient matched guide may, therefore, substantially mate with the selected portion of the anatomy. It is understood, however, that certain exterior portions of a patient specific guide may not have substantial contact with the patient, while other portions are designed to ensure contact even when other portions are not contacting the patient. Thus, a patient matched guide may have portions that are substantially patient matched and have or may achieve the selected amount of contact with the patient.

The patient-specific guides may include one or more custom-made guiding formations, such as, for example, guiding bores or cannulated guiding posts or cannulated guiding extensions or receptacles that may be used for supporting or guiding other instruments, such as drill guides, reamers, cutters, cutting guides and cutting blocks or for inserting pins or other fasteners according to a surgeon-approved pre-operative plan. The patient-specific guides may be used in minimally invasive surgery, and also in surgery with multiple minimally-invasive incisions. Various guides and pre-operative planning procedures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,465, issued Jan. 10, 2012; U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,752, issued Dec. 6, 2011; U.S. Pat. No. 8,133,234, issued Mar. 13, 2012; U.S. Publication No. 2009/0024131, published Jan. 22, 2009; U.S. Publication No. 2008/0114370 dated May 15, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,298,237, issued Oct. 30, 2012; U.S. Publication No. 2011/0224674, published Nov. 15, 2011; U.S. Publication No. 2011/0184419, published Jul. 28, 2011; and U.S. Publication No. 2012/0226283, published Sep. 6, 2012, all patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference.

With initial reference to FIG. 1, a bone preparation guide according to the present teachings is generally illustrated at reference numeral 10. The bone preparation guide 10 includes a guide body 12. The guide body 12 includes an outer surface 14 and a bone facing surface 16, which is opposite to the outer surface 14. A first side 18 of the guide body 12 is opposite to a second side 20. Extending between the first side 18 and the second side 20 is a third side 22 and a fourth side 24, which is opposite to the third side 22. The first and second sides 18 and 20 are shorter than the third and fourth sides 22 and 24, and thus the guide body 12 is generally illustrated as a rectangular box. However, the guide body 12 can have any suitable shape, size, or dimensions.

The guide body 12 defines a compartment 26, which is proximate to the outer surface 14, and closer to the outer surface 14 than to the bone facing surface 16. The guide body 12 defines a compartment aperture 28, which provides access to the compartment 26. The compartment aperture 28 is illustrated as being at, and defined by, the third side 22. However, the compartment aperture 28 can be at any suitable location about the guide body 12 in order to provide access to the compartment 26 and permit patient-specific insert or module 50 to be seated therein. For example, the compartment aperture 28 can be at the outer surface 14 so that the patient-specific insert 50 can be dropped into the compartment 26. The compartment 26 can have any suitable dimensions and be of any suitable size and shape to receive the patient-specific insert 50 therein. The patient-specific insert 50 is illustrated in FIG. 2 and will described further herein.

The guide body 12 further defines a plurality of pin apertures 30. The pin apertures 30 extend between the compartment 26 and the bone facing surface 16. Any suitable member of pin apertures 30 can be included, such as six as illustrated. The pin apertures 30 can be of any suitable size and shape to receive pins or locators 32 therein.

Each pin or locator 32 includes a distal tip 34, which may be pointed as illustrated. Opposite to the distal tip 34, each pin 32 includes a proximal end 36. Each of the pins 32 are slidably mounted within the pin apertures 30. The pins 32 are translationally mounted within the pins 32 such that they can slide into and out of the guide body 12. In an extended position, the pins 32 extend further from the guide body 12 than in a retracted position. In the retracted position, the pins 32 can slightly protrude beyond the bone facing surface 16 or be completely seated within the guide body 12, such that the distal tips 34 do not protrude out of the guide body 12 beyond the bone facing surface 16. The pins 32 can be moved to any intermediate position between the retracted and extended positions.

When retracted, the proximal ends 36 of the pins 32 will be seated within the compartment 26 to permit interaction with the patient-specific insert or module 50, when the insert 50 is seated in the compartment 26, as further described herein. When extended, the proximal ends 36 can still be arranged within the compartment 26, or at any position between the compartment 26 and the bone facing surface 16. Each one of the pins 32 is individually movable. The pins 32 can be mounted within the pin apertures 30 in any suitable manner, in order to maintain the pins 32 coupled to the guide body 12. The pins 32 can be mounted such that they are freely movable within the pin apertures 30, or biased in the extended or retracted positions. The pins 32 can be biased with any suitable biasing member, such as a spring.

The guide body 12 further defines a cutting slot 38 a, which extends between the outer surface 14 and the bone facing surface 16. The cutting slot 38 a can be of any suitable size or shape to receive a suitable cutting instrument, such as the cutting instrument 70 as described further herein. As illustrated, the cutting slot 38 a has a length extending between the third and fourth sides 22 and 24 of the guide body 12, which is greater than a width of the cutting slot 38 a extending between the first and second sides 18 and 20. The cutting slot 38 a is illustrated as being arranged proximate to the second side 20, but can be at any suitable location on the guide body 12. Any one or more of the first side 18, the second side 20, the third side 22, or the fourth side 22 of the guide body 12 can be used as a cutting guide, such as by positioning a suitable cutting instrument along an edge thereof.

The guide body 12 further defines a first guide bore 40 a and a second guide bore 42. Each of the first and second guide bores 40 a and 42 extend between the outer surface 14 and the bone facing surface 16. The first and second guide bores 40 a and 42 can have any suitable size and shape, and can extend through the guide body 12 at any suitable angle to direct guide rods or pins inserted therethrough to a desired position on a bone. For example, the first and second guide bores 40 a and 42 can have a circular cross-sectional shape, as illustrated. The first and second guide bores 40 a and 42 can be located at any suitable position about the guide body 12. For example, the first guide bore 40 a can be between the cutting slot 38 a and the compartment 26. The second guide bore 42 can be between the compartment 26 and the first side 18.

The bone preparation guide 10 is not patient-specific, but rather patient-generic, and thus can be reused during numerous surgical procedures with different patients. The bone preparation guide 10 can be sterilized to allow it to be used with different patients.

With additional reference to FIG. 2, the patient-specific insert 50 will now be described. The insert 50 generally includes a patient-specific insert or module surface 52. The patient-specific surface 52 includes a concave portion 54 a as illustrated, but may include convex portions as well. Opposite to the patient-specific surface 52, is a top surface 56. The insert 50 further includes a first side surface 58 a, a second side surface 58 b, a third side surface 58 c, and a fourth side surface 58 d. The patient-specific insert 50 can have any suitable size and shape to permit placement of the insert 50 within the compartment 26 defined by the guide body 12. The patient-specific insert 50 can be manufactured using any suitable technique, method, process, or device. For example, the patient-specific insert 50 can be manufactured using any suitable three-dimensional fabrication process, such as selective laser sintering. Furthermore, the patient-specific surface 52 can be formed in a blank insert 50 in any suitable manner, such as by milling with a computer numeric control (CNC) machine.

The patient-specific surface 52 is patient-specific and thus formed based on image data of a particular patient's bone, such as a femur 60 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) or a tibia. The image data can be any suitable image data such as that derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a computed tomography (CT) scan, x-ray, or ultrasound data. From the image data, a model of the patient's bone, such as a multidimensional model, can be created. The multidimensional bone model can be, for example, a three-dimensional model. From the multidimensional model, a pre-operative plan including a series of points, axes, and planes defined by specific geometry of the patient's bone can be created and modified by, for example, a surgeon. The pre-operative plan can identify specific points on a bone where the bone preparation guide 10 should be positioned in order to prepare the bone for surgery, such as to receive an implant.

The patient-specific surface 52 of the insert 50 is designed and shaped so that when the pins 32 are placed against the specific patient's bone, the proximal ends 36 of the pins 32 contact the patient-specific surface 52 and, due to the concave portion 54 a and other surface features of the patient-specific surface 52, extend a distance beyond the bone facing surface 16 to precisely mate with the patient's bone. The patient-specific surface 52 is thus generally a three-dimensional mating image, or mirror image, of the patient's bone. For example, in the area of the concave portion 54 a, the concave portion 54 a will allow pins 32 opposite thereto to extend further into the compartment 26, and thus not extend from the bone facing surface 16 as far as pins 32 that abut the patient-specific surface 52 at areas other than the concave portion 54 a, such as at portion 54 b. The patient-specific surface 52 is thus generally an inverse or negative of a specific patient's bone at an area where the pre-operative plan calls for the bone preparation guide 10 to be placed, such that the patient-specific surface 52 can directly nest at only a single position on the patient's bone pursuant to the pre-operative plan.

With additional reference to FIG. 3, the cutting slot 38 a and the first guide bore 40 a can be arranged on the guide body 12 such that they extend through the compartment 26. Therefore, to accommodate a suitable cutting instrument and guide rod, such as the cutting instrument 70 and the first guide rod 72 (see FIG. 5), the patient-specific insert 50 can define an insert cutting slot 38 b and an insert guide bore 40 b. The insert cutting slot 38 b aligns with the guide body cutting slot 38 a, and the insert first guide bore 40 b aligns with the first guide bore 40 a of the guide body 12 when the insert 50 is placed within the compartment 26.

Although the bone preparation guide 10 is generally illustrated as having an overall box-like shape, the bone preparation guide 10 and the guide body 12 can have any suitable size and shape to accommodate a bone surface to be prepared. For example, the guide body 12 can have a curved shape, as can the compartment 26. The patient-specific insert 50 can be sized and shaped to accommodate any size and shape of the compartment 26. Still further, multiple compartments 26 can be included, and thus the bone preparation guide 10 can receive multiple patient-specific inserts 50 to define one or more patient-specific bone engaging surfaces at the distal tips 34 of the pins 32.

With additional reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, placement of the bone preparation guide 10 against a specific patient's bone, such as the femur 60, will now be described. The bone preparation guide 10 can be placed against an anterior surface 62 of the femur 60, which is opposite to posterior surface 64, in order to prepare the anterior surface 62 and a distal end 66 of the femur 60, for example. The bone preparation guide 10 can also be used to prepare any other suitable bone surface, such as a tibia bone surface or the acetabular cup.

After the patient-specific insert 50 is placed within the compartment 26, the bone preparation guide 10 is arranged such that the bone facing surface 16 is proximate to the anterior surface 62. As illustrated in FIG. 4, as the bone facing surface 16 is moved towards the anterior surface 62, the pins 32 will each be at an extended position and extend beyond the bone facing surface 16 to generally a common distance relative to each other. As the pins 32 are placed in contact with the anterior surface 62 and the bone facing surface 16 is moved toward the anterior surface 62, the pins 32 will be pushed into the pin apertures 30 and the proximal ends 36 will be pushed further into the compartment 26 until the proximal ends 36 contact the patient-specific surface 52.

Due to the patient-specific shape of the patient-specific surface 52, difference pins 32 will be able to extend further into the compartment 26 than others. For example and with reference to FIG. 5, because pin 32 a is opposite to the deepest area of the concave portion 54 a, the pin 32 a will extend further into the compartment 26, and thus not as far from the bone facing surface 16 as pin 32 b, which is opposite to the more shallow portion 54 b of the patient-specific surface 52. Pin 32 c contacts the patient-specific surface 52 at a depth intermediate to the concave portion 54 a and the portion 54 b, and thus the pin 32 c extends beyond the bone facing surface 16 to a distance that is greater than the distance that the pin 32 a extends, but less than the distance that the pin 32 b extends.

When the pins 32 contact the patient-specific surface 52, the distal tips 34 thereof generally define a patient-specific bone engaging surface, which corresponds to an area of the femur where the pre-operative plan calls for the bone preparation guide 10 to be arranged. The pins 32 thus create a three-dimensional surface that matches the patient's bone. The bone preparation guide 10 can be deemed to be positioned in accordance with the pre-operative plan when the distal tip 34 of each pin 32 is in contact with the femur 60. If one or more of the distal tips 34 is not in mating contact with the femur 60, the bone preparation guide 10 will likely not be seated stable against the femur 60, thus providing feedback to the surgeon that the bone preparation guide 10 needs to be repositioned. When the bone preparation guide 10 is positioned such that it is stable against the femur 60 and the distal tips 34 of each pin 32 are in contact with the femur 60, the bone preparation guide 10 should be ready to be used to prepare the femur 60, such as to receive an implant.

Alternatively, if the pins 32 are biased inward into the guide body 12, then upon placement of the patient-specific insert 50 into the compartment 26 (typically through an opening at the outer surface 14 to facilitate insertion of the insert 50 as well as cooperation between the patient-specific surface 52 and the pins 32) the pins 32 will form a three-dimensional surface that matches the bone prior to the pins 32 contacting the bone. The three-dimensional surface is shaped to only mate with the patient's bone at a single location pursuant to the pre-operative plan.

The bone preparation guide 10 can be used, for example, to direct the cutting instrument 70 to the distal end 66 of the femur 60. Specifically, the cutting instrument 70 can be inserted through the cutting slot 38 a as illustrated in FIG. 5, which will be aligned at the distal end 66 at the appropriate portion of the distal end 66 to be cut according to the pre-operative plan.

The bone preparation guide 10 can also be used to direct guides or pins to the femur 60, such as first guide 72 and second guide 74. The first guide 72 can be inserted through the first guide bore 40 a, and the second guide 74 can be inserted through the second guide bore 42. The first and second guide bores 40 a and 42 are arranged and angled with respect to the femur 60 according to the pre-operative plan to direct the first and second guides 72 and 74, which can be guide rods, into the femur 60 in order to support the guide body 12 or an appropriate secondary device to be used for further preparation for the femur 60. For example, after the first and second guides 72 and 74 are inserted into the femur 60, the bone preparation guide 10 can be removed from cooperation with the femur 60, and a suitable non-patient specific, or patient generic, cutting block can be coupled to the first and second guides 72 and 74 for making additional bone cuts, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,465 assigned to Biomet Manufacturing Corp issued Jan. 10, 2012 titled Patient Specific Knee Alignment Guide and Associated Method, which along with all related child applications and patents issued therefrom are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, the first and second guide bores 40 a and 40 b can direct a drill to the bone to drill holes therein, which can receive support posts of any suitable guide, such as a bone cutting guide. The bone holes can also receive any other suitable support member or guide, such as Kirschner wires (K-wires).

Subsequent to preparation of the femur 60 of a first patient, the bone preparation guide 10 can be removed from cooperation with the first patient's femur 60 and the patient-specific insert 50 can be removed from cooperation with the bone preparation guide 10. A pre-operative plan for a second patient can be developed, and a second patient-specific insert for a second specific patient can be formed. The bone preparation guide 10 can be sterilized and re-used in another procedure for a different patient.

The second patient-specific insert can be similar to the patient-specific insert 50, which can thus be a first patient-specific insert. The patient-specific surface 52 will be different, however, in order to correspond to specific bone geometry of the second patient. The second patient-specific insert can then be inserted into the compartment 26 of the guide body 12, and the bone preparation guide 10 can be reused to prepare the bone of a second patient. Thus the bone preparation guide 10 can be reused for multiple patients and can accept multiple patient-specific inserts to customize the bone preparation guide 10 to fit specific bone geometry of a plurality of different patients. The bone preparation guide 10 is thus a generic guide that can be customized to fit the specific bone geometry of different patients when patient-specific inserts are seated within the compartment 26. Reuse of the bone preparation guide 10 can favorably reduce material costs and the overall costs of a surgical procedure.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bone preparation system comprising: a guide body configured to mate with a patient-specific module having a patient-specific module surface customized based on image data of a specific patient to correspond to the patient's specific bone geometry; and a plurality of bone locators coupled to the guide body and positioned by the patient-specific module surface to define a patient-specific bone engaging surface of the guide corresponding to the patient's specific bone geometry.
 2. The bone preparation system of claim 1, wherein the guide body defines a compartment configured to receive the patient-specific module therein, the patient-specific module is a patient-specific insert.
 3. The bone preparation system of claim 1, wherein the bone locators include a plurality of pins movable in response to direct contact with the patient-specific module surface.
 4. The bone preparation system of claim 1, wherein the patient-specific bone engaging surface is defined by distal tips of the plurality of bone locators.
 5. The bone preparation system of claim 1, further comprising the patient-specific module, the patient-specific module surface of the patient-specific module includes a three-dimensional surface.
 6. The bone preparation system of claim 1, wherein the guide body defines a guide surface configured to receive a cutting instrument and direct the cutting instrument to the patient's bone.
 7. The bone preparation system of claim 1, wherein the guide body defines a plurality of guide bores configured to direct guides to the patient's bone at a location and orientation specific to the patient's bone geometry.
 8. A system for preparing a specific patient's bone with a bone preparation guide, the system comprising: a guide body including a plurality of bone locators movable into and out of the guide body; and a patient-specific insert configured to be received by the guide body, the patient-specific insert including a patient-specific insert surface customized based on image data of a specific patient to correspond to the patient's specific bone geometry; wherein cooperation between the patient-specific insert and the guide body positions the bone locators to define a patient-specific bone engaging surface at distal tips of the plurality of bone locators, the patient-specific bone engaging surface corresponding to the patient's specific bone geometry.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the guide body defines a receptacle for receipt of the insert therein, cooperation between the patient-specific insert surface and the bone locators positions the bone locators to define the patient-specific bone engaging surface.
 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the bone locators are slidable pins.
 11. The system of claim 8, wherein the patient-specific insert surface includes a three-dimensional bone mating surface.
 12. The system of claim 8, wherein the guide body defines a cutting slot configured to direct a cutting instrument to the bone.
 13. The system of claim 8, wherein the guide body defines a plurality of guide bores configured to direct guides to the patient's bone at a location and orientation specific to the patient's bone geometry.
 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the patient-specific bone engaging surface can be modified to correspond to different bone surfaces of different patients.
 15. A method of customizing a bone preparation guide to correspond to a specific bone geometry of each one of a plurality of different patients, the method comprising: analyzing a first patient's specific bone geometry; developing a first pre-operative plan based on the first patient's specific bone geometry, a first patient-specific surface of a first patient-specific guide insert is designed based on the first pre-operative plan; coupling the first patient-specific guide insert to a guide body, the guide body including a plurality of bone locators connected thereto that are configured to be positioned by the first patient-specific surface of the guide insert to define a first patient-specific bone engaging surface of the guide corresponding to the first patient's specific bone geometry; positioning the guide body against the first patient's bone at a predetermined location corresponding to the first patient-specific bone engaging surface defined by the plurality of bone locators as positioned by the first guide insert; and guiding at least one of a first cutting instrument or a first guide to the first patient's bone using the guide.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: analyzing a second patient's specific bone geometry; developing a second pre-operative plan based on the second patient's specific bone geometry, a second patient-specific surface of a second patient-specific guide insert is designed based on the second pre-operative plan; coupling the second patient-specific guide insert to the guide body, the guide body including a plurality of bone locators connected thereto that are configured to be positioned by the second patient-specific surface of the guide insert to define a second patient-specific bone engaging surface of the guide corresponding to the second patient's specific bone geometry; positioning the guide body against the second patient's bone at a predetermined location corresponding to the second patient-specific bone engaging surface defined by the plurality of bone locators as positioned by the second guide insert; and guiding at least one of a second cutting instrument or a second guide to the second patient's bone using the guide.
 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising guiding at least one of the first cutting instrument or the first guide through bores defined in the first patient-specific guide insert.
 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising coupling the first patient-specific guide insert to the guide body by inserting the first patient-specific guide insert into a compartment defined by the guide body.
 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising coupling a second patient-specific guide insert to the guide body after the first patient-specific guide insert has been removed, the second patient-specific surface of the second patient-specific guide is based on a second patient's specific bone geometry.
 20. The method of claim 15, further comprising moving the bone locators into contact with the first patient-specific surface of the first patient-specific guide insert by placing the bone locators into contact with the first patient's bone. 